Czech, Slovakian and Hungarian Christmas Traditions

This month I decided to research Christmas traditions of some of the countries I have visited since one of my travel goals is to spend Christmas in a foreign country.

Last week I posted about Denmark and Sweden - this week it is the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

I visited Hungary in 2007 and the Czech Republic (with a quick side trip to Slovakia) in 2008.

Once again I riffled through some old photos scanned and cleaned them up in Photoshop. I know they aren't Christmassy, but I'll post those sometime in the future when I spend a Christmas in Eastern Europe!

Czech Christmas Traditions

 

• Carp is the featured dish on Christmas Eve
• Christmas Eve dinner is filled with traditions and superstitions foretelling the coming year, marriages and wealth
• Certain foods must be consumed at the Christmas dinner to bring good luck  - including garlic, honey, mushrooms, Vánočka (Christmas bread), and apples
• The tree is decorated on Christmas Eve
• Baby Jesus (Ježíšek) brings presents – not Santa
• Children leave the room and do not reenter until a bell has rung – indicating that Jesus has left the presents for the children
• St. Mikulas (St. Nicholas) brings presents in early December

 

Slovakia

Read about my brief Slovakian adventure here.

 

• Traditions and superstitions regarding the future(similar to those in the Czech Republic) are carried out during the celebrations that center on family
• The tree is decorated on Christmas Eve
• Some Slovakians fast before the big meal
• On Christmas Eve there is a feast and breaking and eating wafers precedes the meal
• A white table cloth representing the Christ Child’s swaddling is used on the table for the feast
• The Christmas Eve meal consists of twelve dishes for the number of apostles
• Straw is spread around the house to represent the manger
• Just like in the Czech Republic Baby Jesus (Ježíšek) brings presents – not Santa
• Santa’s counterpart is Father Frost (I rather like that name!)

 

Hungary

 

• Hungarians countdown to Christmas with Advent calendars and wreaths
• Christmas trees are never decorated until Christmas Eve
• Decorations stay in the house – never outside (hear that Clark Griswold?!)
• Christmas is an intimate family celebration and Hungarians do not typically go to parties
• On December 6^th the Day of St. Nicholas children leave shoes on window seals overnight in the expectation of receiving gifts

 

Budapest, Hungary

 

 

 

St. Stephen's Cathedral - Budapest, Hungary

 

 

 

 

 

Danish and Swedish Christmas Traditions

One of my travel goals is to spend Christmas in a foreign country – preferably one that I have previously visited. This made me curious as to how Christmas traditions varied by countries. So I thought I would pick some of my favorite past trips and research their Christmas traditions.

I have picked four sets of countries and put them into blocks - meaning I have grouped them together in the way that I first visited them. For example, I will start with Denmark and Sweden. I visited both countries in 2006.

I am also in the process of teaching myself Photoshop, so I have been rifling through the past trip photos, organizing, scanning and cleaning them up with my new Photoshop skills.

Therefore I am going to include some of the photos from my 2006 trip. I know they’re not Christmas photos, but I’ll post those one I spend Christmas there – eventually!

Sweden

• Swedes enjoy the process or preparations that lead up to Christmas time particularly gifts, decorations and food
•  The Christmas season kicks off with a glögg party in which mulled wine is consume
• December 13^th is Lucia Day this tradition involves a young woman rising early and serving coffee and  Lucia buns to everyone in herhousehold while wearing a traditional Lucia costumme

• There are many countdowns to Christmas with Advent calendars and candles

• Every Christmas Eve at 3pm EVERYONE in Sweden stops and watches a Walt Disney classic cartoon starring Donald Duck
 
• A typical Swedish Christmas revolves around a nice fire and many candles
 
• The Julbord is the Christmas buffet and is consumed on Dec 24^th
 
• On Christmas Eve Santa arrives in person to pass out gifts
 
• Christmas trees are bought the day before Christmas Eve and are kept until January 13^th known as the Twentieth Day Knut
 
• When the tree is ready to be disposed of every one gathers around has a party and then the tree is ‘plundered’ or thrown out the window
 

Stockholm, Sweden

The view from Drottingholm Palace - Sweden

 

 

Denmark

• Like the Swedes the Danish countdown to Christmas with Advent calendars and candles
• The Danish also celebrate Lucia Day on December 13^th – the Swedish tradition was introduced to the Danes by The Norden Association during the German Occupation in 1944
• Christmas lunches are celebrated throughout the Christmas month- these are primarily in the work place and consist of traditional Danish recipes and lots of alcohol (one reason I love the Danes!)
• Danish breweries always produce a special Christmas brew
• The Christmas tree is decorated one the day before Christmas Eve or on Christmas Eve
• Because of the war with Germany Danish Christmas decorations are usually dominated by the national colors of red and white
• Christmas is celebrated December 24 -26 and most shops and businesses are closed
• Most people go to church during the day on Christmas Eve and spend the rest of the holiday at home with their family
• Christmas Eve dinner starts the celebrations and once dinner is finished it is time to light candles and open presents
• Father Christmas brings the presents replacing the pixie and the old farm leprechaun of the pre-Christian era



The Little Mermaid - Copenhagen, Denmark



Copenhagen, Denmark

 

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art - Denmark